Renewing your Research Visa.

Good luck with that.

No, seriously, it can be done, but it is going to take more patience than you probably have after 12 months in India.

First, the good news for all you Fulbright people: the USIEF office will write you a letter that should help smooth things over with FRRO. Yes, FRRO. I'm afraid you have to go back there. You should take with you:

• your own pen with black or blue ink
• passport photos (take 4, just in case, but refer to my previous FRRO post for instructions on how to find a photo place near FFRO itself)
• passport w/visa
• photocopies of your passport and visa
• FRRO registration book
• photocopies of the first and last page of your FRRO registration book
• Original letter from USIEF, recommending visa renewal
• Photocopy of letter from USIEF
• Letter from Indian university (JNU, DU, etc.) advisor recommending that your visa be renewed (THIS IS ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL)
• Proof of residence (utility bill, C-Form, etc.)
• Flight arrival information (I know, who cares, you've been in India 12 months, but they still want it)
• 4000 INR

You know the drill. Compile all the copies into a pile to leave at FRRO. Get up early, try to be the first person in line at FRRO. I got there at 8:45 this time, and was about 12th in line, an almost perfect position. I was done by 10:30, so it was worth the early start. The paperwork you will be handed is similar to registration paperwork, and if you have all the proper items listed above, you should be golden. Take the USIEF phone number with you, though, just in case someone gives you trouble.

Okay, now the bad news for all you independent researchers, or people on something like a SSRC-IDRF. It's going to take you an extra day or two to renew your visa. Plan for a total of three days: 1 day to get letters from the U.S. Embassy and your advisor on campus; 1 day to visit the Ministry of Home Affairs; and 1 day for the FRRO.

This is what you need to do. Get a letter from the U.S. Embassy reconfirming your status as a researcher. Get a letter from your Indian university advisor recommending your visa renewal and noting your good research progress. Photocopy them. Then get up early and go to the Ministry of Home Affairs (Jaipur House on Mansingh Road, New Delhi) and take the following items:

• your own pen with black or blue ink
• passport photos (I honestly can't remember if I needed them, but it can't hurt to have them)
• Original letter from U.S. Embassy
• Photostat of letter from U.S. Embassy
• Original letter from university advisor
• Photostat of letter from university advisor
• Original letter from home (U.S.) institution praising your work
• Photostat of letter from home institution
• Passport with visa page
• Photostat of passport with visa page
• FRRO registration book
• Photostat of FRRO registration book
• Proof of residence (utility bill, C-Form, etc.)

Compile all the copies together, these are what you will attach to the forms given to at MHA. You also need the originals, though, because the interview (see below) will ask to see them. If you forget to make a photocopy, don't worry, there is a copy station at the bottom of the stairs, only 1 INR/page.

When you get out of the autorickshaw at Jaipur House, the reception desk is in the little building to your right. Go in there and show your passport. This room has AC, but don't think you have it made, because this is only the reception hall. They will give you a number and tell you to go to the visa room. Go out of reception and into the complex to the office building to the left (ask the guards where to go). Wander into the building, look for stairs. The visa room is on the first (upper) floor. The copy station is right at the bottom of these stairs.

Generally, this part is hot and chaotic, even though the visa people follow a clear procedure. You will be given some paperwork with a number. Fill it out, and bring it back to the same desk. Eventually, some officers will come out and sit at the long desk at the side of the room, and start calling out numbers. You'd think people would wait until they heard their number, but no, the moment one number is called, there is a stampede. For this reason, I recommend sitting in a chair in the side room so you will already be there when the stampede happens. You might be tempted to sit in the larger visa room, where there is a hint of AC, but I think you will regret it when the chaos starts.

What happens is this: your number is called, and you go sit at the long desk for an interview. I never said a word during my interview, so I'm not sure why they call it that. An officer looks over all your photocopies, asks to see the originals, writes some mysterious notes, then tells you to come back at 4:30. Here is the frustrating part. You will come back at 4:30 as directed, and be handed a sealed envelope. This envelope you take to FRRO the next morning, along with all the documents/money listed above. DON'T OPEN THE ENVELOPE. I know, it's hard, because in that sealed envelope it either says "give this person a visa extension" or it says "deny this person's visa extension," and it would be lovely to know which it is before you stand in line at FRRO. But if the seal is broken, you will be denied your visa extension for certain.

In my case, I was recommended for a visa extension, and the less than two hours I then spent at the FRRO a miracle. I hope this description of the process bears equally good results for you.

Bikaner Accommodations.

Let's face it, Bikaner in the summer is a tough place to be. 115-120 degree F during the months of May and June, and it doesn't matter where you're living, because it is going to be hell. That being said, I can recommend looking into the Hotel Shri Ram. Yogendra Singh and Samar Rathore were great hosts, and looked after me very well during the hot season. It's only 1/2 block to a nice, quiet park for evening walks, 1 block to a cyber cafe (for recharging your phone and buying cold drinks) and about 4 blocks to the city's only ice cream parlor. If you are going to be traveling regularly to the Rajasthan State Archives, Yogendra Singh can arrive daily transport with a local autorickshawallah. I paid 20Rs. one way no matter where I went in the city.

There are at least two luxury hotels in town (Laxmi Niwas Palace and Lallgarh Palace), but they are a little removed from the city and a bit hard on the budget. Yogendra Singh can take you on a tour of Laxmi Niwas Palace, or maybe for a meal in the open air restaurant.

अठसठी इमारती (Athsathi Imarat)

The Athsathi Imarat (3-1/2 year Building Accounts) consist of account summaries for materials, wages, religious/charitable donations, and tehshil collections/expenditures for a specified period. Here is an example page, translation is below.

Translation:

Vikram Samvat 1785

Expeditures: Materials/Wages

Observatory (जंत्र)
2802-11-0 [Rupees-Annas-Paise]

Materials (मसाला) used in Observatory]
1401-15-0

Stone
341-4-0

Lime
348-1-2

Unslaked Lime
587-3-2

Gravel/Stone
18-10-0

[list of materials continued on verso]

(Material at right of page: dedication to Rama, note that this folio belongs to Athsathi records for the city of Sawai Jaipur)

Imarat Khana (Building Dept.) Records at RSA

There are several sets of Imarat Khana records available at the RSA, including daily income/expenditure reports, monthly and annual summaries, and court-related accounts. This is a listing of the Imarat Khana records from Catalogue No. 23, Jaipur State. I have also appended a few entries from the Pothi Khana and Rang Khana records from the same catalogue.

जमा खर्च (Jamaa Karch) Income/Expenditure

Bundle No. 1 (reviewed 05/15/09)
VS 1775-1776
VS 1777-1778
VS 1778
VS 1784
VS 1787

Bundle No. 2 (reviewed 5/18/09)
VS 1788 Shri Vrindavan (Kanak Vrindavan Valley, bottom of Nahargarh hils, on Amber-Jaipur Road)
VS 1787 Mathuraji
VS 1788-1792 Pahar Ganj (near Galta Gate, old city, http://wikimapia.org/5248812/Paharganj)
VS 1786-89 Thakur Duar(?)
VS 1789 Kasba Basva (?)
VS 1789 Vrindavan

Bundle No. 3 (reviewed 5/18/09)
VS 1789-1793 Thakur Kola
VS 1789-1797 Hadha(?) ka Bagh
VS 1790-1794 Ath Kudh Mathura
VS 1791 Mathuraji
VS 1792 Imarati
VS 1792 Kasba Basva
VS 1794 Imarati
VS 1794, 1796 Ghat Kagar Mathura
VS 1797, 1798 Bagh Lalava
VS 1800, 1802, 1807, 1811-1813 Imarati


स्याह इमारती (Syaha Imarati) Building Accounts

Bundle No. 9 (reviewed 04/24/09)
1787, 1788, 1792-1794 Sawai Jaipur
1790, 1791 Pahar Ganj

Bundle No. 10 (reviewed 04/24/09)
1796-1798, 1808 Sawai Jaipur


याद दासती इमारती (Yaad Dasti Imarati) Building Memoranda

Bundle No. 12 (reviewed 05/28/09, 06/22/09)
1792-1795
तोज़ी स्याह हजुर (Tozi Syaha Hazur) Court Accounts
(स्याहा हज़ुर and बकाया हज़ुर)

Bundle No. 20 VS 1780
Bundle No. 21 VS 1781
Bundle No. 22 VS 1781-1784
Bundle No. 23 VS 1783 (reviewed 06/22/09)
Bundle No. 24 VS 1786-1787 (reviewed 06/23/09)
Bundle No. 25 VS 1788
Bundle No. 26 VS 1789-1790
Bundle No. 27, 28 VS 1790
Bundle No. 29 VS 1791-1792
Bundle No. 30 VS 1792
Bundle No. 31, 32 VS 1793
Bundle No. 33 VS 1794
Bundle No. 34, 35 VS 1795
Bundle No. 36 VS 1795-1796
Bundle No. 37 VS 1796
Bundle No. 38 VS 1797 (reviewed 5/22/09)
Bundle No. 39 VS 1799
Bundle No. 41 VS 1800
Bundle No. 41a VS 1801


रोज़नामा ईमारती (Roznaama Imarati) Daily Building Accounts

Bundle No. 1
VS 1748, 1780-1781, 1784, 1787, 1788, 1789 (reviewed 05/15/09)

Bundle No. 2
VS 1790, 1791 (reviewed 05/19/09)

Bundle No. 3
VS 1791, 1792, 1793 (reviewed 05/19/09)

Bundle No. 4
VS 1793, 1796, 1797, 1798 (reviewed 05/08/09)


जमा-खर्च पोथी खाना (Jamaa-Karch Pothikhana) Income/Expenditure Book Department
[all of these have been re-catalogued as Roznama, so I’m not sure why this section of bundle numbers is still in the catalogue. I’m listing them, but use the रोज़नामा पोथीखाना (Roznaama Pothikana) bundle numbers below to request them]

Bundle No. 3
VS 1782-1783, 1784

Bundle No. 4
VS 1784-1785, VS 1786-1787

Bundle No. 5
VS 1779-1782, 1787-1789, 1789-1790

Bundle Nos. 6/1, 6/2
VS 1790-1793, 1794-1797, 1798-1800

Bundle No. 7
VS 1802-1803, 1800-1805


अठसठी इमारती (Athsathi Imarat) 3-1/2 Year Summary of Building Accounts

Bundle No. 1
VS 1785

Bundle No. 2
VS 1786

Bundle No. 3
VS 1787

Bundle No. 4
VS 1788


रोज़नामा पोथीखाना (Roznaama Pothikhana) Daily Accounts Book Department

Bundle No. 1 VS 1764-1794 (reviewed 06/29/09)

Bundle No. 2 VS 1795-1802 (reviewed 06/23/09)

Bundle No. 3 VS 1803-1830


रंग खाना (Rang Khana) Paint/Dye Department

Bundle No. 1 VS 1755-1793 (reviewed 05/22/09)

Bundle No. 2 VS 1794-1799, 1801

Bundle No. 3 VS 1803-1809

Karkhana Records at RSA

Many Jaipur State records at the Rajasthan State Archives are catalogued only minimally. There exists a series of handwritten, hardbound catalogues, listing out the holdings. Catalogue No. 23 deals with the Jaipur State karkhana holdings. Here, I have listed out the various khana records available at RSA.

Catalogue No. 23 जयपुर स्टेट कारखाना (जमा-खर्च) Jaipur State Karkhanas (Income/Expenditure)

Khanas Catalogued:
अवद खाना (Awad Khana)

इमारत खाना (Imarat Khana) Building Department

रंग खाना (Rang Khana) Paint, Dyes, Colors

औखद खाना (Aukhad Khana)

किरकरा खाना (Kirkiri Khana) Jewelry Department

कोष ग्रह (Kosh Graha) Treasury

खुशबू खाना (Kushbū Khana) Scents Department

खयाल खाना (Khyaal Khana) Chess, Chaupar, etc.

गुणीजन खाना (Gunijan Khana) beg. 1816, Musicians

गऊ खाना (Gu/Gaya Khana) Cows

चिज ग्रह (Chiza Khana)

छापा खाना (Chaapa Khana) Printing

जरगर खाना (Jaragar Khana) Gold and silver articles

जीन खाना (Jīn Khana) Saddles, Bridles

तोप खाना (Topa Khana)

तंबल खाना (Tambul Khana) Betel leaves and vessels

तोषा खाना (Tosha Khana) Presents, valuable cloth, shawls, embroidery

चित्र ग्रह (Chitra Graha)

पखाल खाना (Pakhal Khana)

पालकी खाना (Palki Khana) Sedan chairs (later becomes Buggy Khana)

पोथी खाना (Pothikhana) Books, Manuscripts

पात्र खाना (Patra Khana)

फ़रास खाना (Farash Khana) Carpets, Tents

फ़ील खाना (Fīl Khana) Elephants

मसाल खाना (Mashal Khana) Torches

मेवा खाना (Meva Khana)

रसोई खाना (Rusoi Khana) Kitchen

रत्न खाना (Ratn Khana) Jewels

वस्त्र ग्रह (Vastra Graha)

सीलेह खाना (Sileh Khana) Armor

सोधा खाना (Sodha Khana)

शिलकार खाना (Shikar Khana) Hunting animals

सूरत खाना (Surati Khana) Paintings

सूत्र खाना (Sutra Khana) Camels

दाग धोड़ा (Dag Dhodha)

Rajasthan State Archives

[ETA: Please visit the new website for the Rajasthan State Archives, where you will find more current contact and access information. It makes me feel good to look at the photo of the research and reference room! You will feel so much more comfortable here.]

I wish I could go back here, really. Yes, it is miserably hot in Bikaner in the summer, but the material held here is just amazing, the staff was friendly and helpful, and the other researchers gave me candy.

You won't find the address for this place on the internet, so let me just tell you it is on Government Press Road, or "at the Old Government Press." The facilities are a bit harsh during the summer--the reading room is small, with only one window for light. This is important on those days when you have mandatory 3-hour power cuts. There is no air, and no light, and it generally feels like you've landed in hell. As long as there is power, there is a fan, and then you can work. When the power goes...have an alternate plan, like going home (where there will also be no power, so you might as well stay). They installed a window AC unit while I was there, and it helped when the power was on, but only so much.

Okay, so the reading room is a bit hard sometimes, but the material makes up for it, right? I never really figured out the catalogue system for this place. My general approach was this: I knew that I wanted to look at records from the Imarat Khana (Building Department) between 1721-1743. After a few miscommunications, eventually I was given a handwritten catalogue, divided into section by khana. Under each khana heading was a list of years for which records were available. For instance, under Imarat Khana records, I could request Income-Expense records for 1721, bundles 1, 2 and 3. That's as precise as it got. The bundles for the year would arrive, and I would go through them page by page to see what was there.

This same approach was taken with Rang Khana (Paint/Dye Department) records, Pothi Khana (Book Department) records, and with the rest of the Khana records. It would have saved so much time if there had been even a small description of each bundle, but there wasn't so I had to look at every page.

To request material, ask for a request slip (mang patra) at the front desk. Or, watch the other researchers--they just grab them from the desk drawer when they needed them, so I started doing that, too. You can fill out the slip in Hindi or English, or a combination of the two (my preference). No one here had any problem with me looking at whatever I wanted to look at. They brought me what I wanted, unless it was missing. The records aren't in a great state, a lot of dirt and worm damage, so when they said something was missing, it was easy to believe.

The photocopy policy was both liberal and restrictive. I was allowed to copy anything that had the word "observatory" on it, no questions asked, for 6Rs./page. They kept a running tab, and I just paid it off at the end of every month. So, that was great. However, there were a lot of building records not specifically related to the observatories that I would have loved to have copies of, and I ended up trying to frantically transcribe them. Difficult work, since it was in 18th c. Rajasthani. I had to write it all by hand, and I can tell you, I made a lot of transcription mistakes just because I couldn't read the record properly in the moment.

Oh, for access to the RSA, you need to have your paperwork in order. That is, you need:

• Letter of introduction from USEIF if you are a Fulbrighter
• Letter of introduction from U.S. Embassy if you are not a Fulbrighter
• Letter of introduction from home (U.S.) institution
• Passport with visa
• Copy of passport with visa

You will be interviewed by the In-Charge and the Director. I just nodded a lot and smiled, and that seemed to work. It was at the RSA that I adopted my "absolute silence" approach to archival access. Even if someone says, No, you cannot work here, stay silent. Eventually, they will talk themselves into letting you do the work.

Facilities: the bathroom situation is horrid, so don't ask me about it. Don't plan to use them if you are female. Bring your own bottle of water if you don't trust the well water provided in the reading room. There is a chai stand just outside the complex gate to the left, but the chaiwallah also visits 2x a day if you want to put in an order. To the right outside the gate is the road to Junagarh Fort. It has some little shops, places to buy cold water, and several photostat shops, convenient for copying out your transcription notes. Keep walking along this road and into Junagarh Fort, and you can have lunch at Prachina, the Princess of Bikaner's snack shop. Across the road from the fort is Gallop's, an expensive coffee shop. They have good Bikaneri chicken if you feel like a splurge.

Delhi Accommodations

While working at NAI in Delhi, I stayed at Vandana's Bed and Breakfast (I had the Parkview room, nice for birdwatching). This was in a great location (Safdarjung Enclave), about a 50Rs. autorickshaw ride from the archives. The house was really comfortable, and Pradeep and Vandana and family were excellent hosts. It is just a short walk through Arjun Nagar to Deer Park, Hauz Khas Village, or Green Park, and about a 40-50Rs. autorickshaw ride to Defence Colony. Since it is in South Delhi, it is also convenient to the airport. I was so comfortable here that I went back instead of finding a new place when I had to return to Delhi to renew my research visa.